Purple Lotus

3 Seeds

Purple Lotus is a beautiful aquatic perennial grown for its large fragrant purple to pink-purple flowers and decorative round leaves that float above the water. It is ideal for garden ponds, water features, large tubs, and ornamental containers. The flowers attract bees and other pollinators, while the seeds, leaves, rhizomes, and flowers have traditional culinary and medicinal uses. In the Gulf, Purple Lotus thrives in warm weather with full sun.

Best Planting Time

• March to May (best)
• Can also be started from February if temperatures remain above 20°C.
• In the Gulf, avoid starting seeds during the coolest winter weeks.

Seed Preparation

• Lotus seeds have an extremely hard seed coat.
• Carefully file or sand one end of the seed until the light-colored inner layer becomes visible, taking care not to damage the embryo.
• Place the scarified seeds in warm water (28–35°C).
• Change the water daily to keep it clean.
• Seeds usually swell within 1–3 days and sprout within 4–10 days.

Growing Medium

Once roots and shoots appear, plant in heavy aquatic soil.

Recommended mix:

• 70% Heavy clay soil or garden loam
• 20% Well-rotted compost
• 10% Coarse sand

Avoid lightweight potting mixes containing large amounts of peat or perlite, as they float.

Ideal soil pH:

• 6.5–7.5

Planting Method

• Use a wide container without drainage holes.
• Plant the sprouted seed 2–3 cm into the soil, leaving the growing shoot exposed.
• Add water slowly until it covers the soil by 5–10 cm.
• As the plant grows, gradually increase the water depth to 20–40 cm.
• Mature plants perform best in water 30–50 cm deep.

Temperature & Light

• Ideal germination temperature: 25–35°C
• Ideal growing temperature: 25–38°C
• Requires at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
• Full sun is essential for abundant flowering.

Watering

• Lotus is an aquatic plant and should always remain in standing water.
• Keep the water clean and replenish it as needed.
• Never allow the container to dry out.

Germination Time

• 4–10 days after scarification and soaking.
• Leaves usually emerge within 2–3 weeks.

Plant Spacing

• One plant per container.
• Use containers at least 40–60 cm wide for dwarf types and 60–90 cm wide for larger varieties.

Flowering

• Usually blooms 3–5 months after sowing under warm conditions.
• Flowers continue throughout the warm season.
• Remove faded flowers and yellow leaves to keep plants healthy.

Fertilization

• Do not fertilize until several floating leaves have developed.
• Apply aquatic plant fertilizer tablets every 4–6 weeks during active growth.
• Avoid over-fertilizing young plants.

Gulf Climate Tips

• Lotus grows exceptionally well in the Gulf's warm climate.
• Protect young seedlings from strong winds.
• Keep water levels stable during hot weather.
• Replace evaporated water regularly.
• Monitor for aphids, caterpillars, and algae growth.
• Purple Lotus is perfect for ornamental ponds, water gardens, patio containers, fountains, and decorative aquatic displays.